Ore-washer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. TALLEY.

ORE WASHER.

(No Model.)

No. 402,698. Patented May '7, 1889.-

BY Q

ATTORNEY,

WITNESSES:

N. PETERS. FhvlM-Ilhogmpber. W'Ashmgwn, D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. TALLEY.

ORE WASHER. I v No. 402.698. Patented May '7, 1889.

ws: d0 l/VVENLOI? W/al6 y mm ATTORNEY N. PEI'ERS. Fhalo-Lithogmphcr, Wuhinglnn. uc,

UNITED STATES ATENT Erica.

JAMES TALLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ORE-WASH ER.

' l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,698, dated May '7, 1889.

' Application filed March 10, 1888. Serial No. 266,811. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES TALLEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Concentrator and Amalgamator, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to combined concentrator and amalgamator for separating and saving fine metals, especially gold, such as is usually found in what are termed placer diggings. Its object is to furnish a compact and easily-operated machine of economical and durable construction in which the separation of the coarser material from the finer and the saving of the precious metal, both by the difference of its specific gravity from that of the gangue and by amalgamation, may be reliably and thoroughly accomplished; to which ends it consists in the features and combinations more particularly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings is illustrated an apparatus embodying my invention, wherein- Figure 1 is a top view of such an apparatus; Fig. 2, a section on line m 00, Fig. 1, and looking to the left thereof; Fig. 3, an end view of Fig. 1, the base being omitted; and Fig. 4, a top View of a riflle-plate.

In the figures, the reference-numeral 1 indicates the base or frame on which the inclosing-casing 2 is supported. This casing is a rectangular boX having its bottom inclined along two of its sides, as at 22, between which inclined portions is the land or fiat 23.

From the base 1 rise standards 3 on opposite sides, in each of which are two bearings, 4 and 5, while pins or journals 6 and 7 for taking therein are affixed to the casing 2. Upon these pins and bearings the casing is rocked by a handle, 21, or by any other suitable means. The casin g may then be rocked to and fro on these double bearings, each half oscillation ending in a thump as one or the other pin comes into its bearing, such thump aiding in jarring the material upon the screens through the meshes thereof. Upon the top of the casing a hopper, 8, is secured, across whose upper end extends the perforated pipe 37, provided with the usual stop-cock for introducin g a proper supply of water to the material placed in the hopper, in whose bottom is placed a grizzly, 9, for straining off material 5 5 too large to be readily operated on, such ma terial passing over the grizzly and over the tail of the hopper into a discharge flume or spout, 10, located thereat, while the suitable material falls through the spaces of the grizzly to be acted on by the devices within the casing. At the discharge end of the hopper is placed a gate, 26, sliding in ways, so that the discharge-opening may be opened to a greater or less extent or entirely closed, holding material in the hopper to be acted on conjointly by the jarring, the fiow of water, the g1 inding among the material itself and upon the grizzly as the cradle is rocked, by which the disintegration of any lumps is aided.

Secured beneath the grizzly is a deflectingplate, 11, by which the material passing through the grizzly is carried to the head of a first screen, 12, of comparatively large mesh, from whose lower end the material too large to pass theret-hrough goes into a discharge spout or fiume, 13. Secured to the same frame beneath the screen 12 is the first imperforate plate, 14, which discharges the material passing over it onto the head of the second screen, 15, of finer mesh than the first screen, 12, and whose lower end discharges into the flume or spout 17. Beneath screen 15 is the second imperforate plate, 16, from which the material falling thereon is discharged upon the head of the first riffle-plate, 18. By using the imperforate plates in this relation-that is, an imperforate plate beneath and substantially parallel to a screen-all the matter passing through one screen is directed to the head of the next lower screen or of a riffie-plate and passes entirely thereover unless disintegrated or reduced finely enough to pass therethough. At the same time, by extending the screens entirely across the space within the casing, they may empty directly into the fiumes or spouts on the exterior of the casing and the material too coarse to pass through a screen be immediately conducted away. At the discharge-openings for each screen gates 27 are 100 by ribs 24:, secured thereto transversely and in zigzag or saw-tooth shape, as seen in Fig. i, and riflle-plate 19 should be of copper or other metal adapted to be amalgamated.

The last riffle-plate discharges the material into the bottom of the rocker through a slot, 31, from whence the material passes onto the pan 20, preferably of copper and amalgamated. Beneath or near the lower end of this last riffle-plate a rod, 38, passes, being seated in the sides of the rocker. secured cams 39, which take upon. the under side of the riffle-plate and raise or lower it as they are turned by the rod 38. Secured by one edge to the under side of this last riffleplate and beneath the discharge-slot 31 therein is a rubber or leather valve strip, 32, whose other edge extends to and rests upon the angled portion 22 when the plate is in its lowest position. A pawl and ratchet, 30, are provided for lockin g the rod and cams in any desired position.

NVhen the cams 29 are turned so as to elevate the end of the plate, the valve-strip 31 is released from its bearing on the angled part 22, and water and material may pass th ereover, while, when the plate is depressed, the

valve-strip takes upon the angled part 22,

closing the discharge. By closing this discharge to a greater or less extent the material on the lower riffle-plate may be held back dammed up, so to speak-40 any desired extent, so that the amalgamated plates may have a longer time to act on the mineral. valve-strip 32 is made of rubber or leather, because-such materials, being flexible, accommodate themselves to their bearings and form a better tighter joint when it is desired to close the discharge entirely.

The pan 20 slides or moves upon suitable ways or supports in the base 1, and may be connected to the casing 53 by arms 25, one on either side, so as the casing is rocked the pan may be reciprocated. The lower end of this pan rests on pins 33, inserted in the sides of the base, there being several apertures at different heights, so that such end of the pan may be raised or lowered and its inclination varied. The arms 25 are slotted at one end, so that they may there be thrown from their bearings, disconnecting the pan and the easin anda crank 38' is rovided which ma cured to the body by hinges 35 upon one Upon such red are The 1 side and by screws or a hasp, 36, or other readily-detachable means upon the opposite side, to the end that the top may be readily opened and laid over for giving easy access to the screens and plates upon the interior for cleaning up, re-amalgamating, 8:0.

lVhile intended ordinarily for a compact machine to be operated by manual power applied to the handle 21, it is evident that it may be made of any desired size, and that power may be applied thereto, and that a series or number might be used connected to and receiving motion from the same prime motor. The number of sieves and their imperforate plates and of the rifile-plates may be increased, two only of each being herein shown, as sufficiently embodying the invention and illustrating its operation. 7

Having thus described m y invention, what I claim is- 1. A combined concentrator and amalgamator consisting of an inclosing-casing, a hopper seated thereon, a series of alternately-inclined screens each extending entirely across the space within the casing, imperl'orate conducting-plates, one below, substantially parallel to, and extending nearly to the lower end thereof, a discharge-passage being thereby left at the foot of each plate, and alternatelyinclined little-plates, the inclination through the series of screens and of riflie-plates being alternately in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the inclosiug-casing, a series of screens, a series of imperforate plates, a plate below and substantially parallel to each screen and conducting the material passing therethrough to the head of the next lower screen or the head of a rifli e-plate, the screens and plates being inclined alternately in opposite directions, the standards 3, each with bearings at 5, the pins 6 7, taking therein and attached to the casing, and a handle, 21, for rocking the casing in such. bearings, substantially as set forth.

A rocker for saving fine metals, comprising a hopper, a grizzly in the bottom thereof, and an adjustable discharge-gate at the tail thereof, a series of inclined screens each having an imperforate plate beneath and paral- 1e1 to it, a discharge-spout for each screen, a series of rifile-plates, the screens and rifiieplates being alternately inclined in opposite directions, an inclosing-case, and a pan, 20, located below the inclosing-casin g and receiving the discharge therefrom, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the inclosing-case, series of screens, and of riffle-plates alternately inclined in opposite directions, the screens extending entirely across the space within the casin g, imperforate deflecting boards orpla'tes, one for each screen, and extending substantially parallel thereto nearly to its lower end, the discharge-pan 2O beneath the lower riffleplate, arms 25, detachably connecting it to the valve-strip, and a pawl and ratchet for lock- IO ing the rod and cams in position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES TALLEY.

I Vitnesses:

Z. F. WILBER, B. L. PoLLooK. 

